State Government is months behind schedule on new prison project

by Sharon Webb

THE STATE Government’s chosen environmental consultant for the proposed prison site at the Brushy Creek Reserve has dropped out, leaving the schedule for the new prison even more behind schedule.

The Justice Department admits drilling can’t proceed without the consultant, leaving it shopping around for a company to replace Mark Wapstra of EcoTas.

Locally, a third anti-prison group of 12 Birralee households has been formed to focus on safety on Birralee Road.

Spokesperson Torey Taylor said the road is already unsafe and vehicle movement for prison construction is a recipe for disaster.

In June when Justice Minister Elise Archer and the Premier announced the second site for the prison, Ms Archer’s schedule said due diligence on the prison site would be complete in July and Meander Valley Council would consider the prison planning application this month.

But without a consultant to produce a natural values report for the planning application and oversee geodrilling for rock and soil composition, the government is months off schedule.

Mr Wapstra said he was no longer engaged by the Justice Dept because ‘we haven’t been able to come to mutually agree able contract terms’.

The Justice Department said the environmental consultant ‘cited significant other work and the requirement for a more certain forward schedule’.

He said a new consultant would be engaged in late 2020.

‘With the delay in due diligence works on the site, a development application will be submitted once necessary information to support an application has been gathered. This includes environmental impact, geotechnical, traffic, design standards, review of original Social Economic Impact Study, as well as any specific requirements by the statutory authority.

‘Drilling will recommence once a new environmental consultant is engaged. A new works permit will be required for drilling to recommence.’

Ms Taylor said in September that Birralee residents told senior Justice Department representatives about their strong concerns about the current state of the road and the impacts of prison construction and completion.

She quoted the 2012 State Government submission to the Nation Building 2 program which said the road did not meet heavy vehicle standards. Eight years later there is no change.

‘They assured us no construction activity would commence until at least the entrance to the prison site had been made safe’, she said.

‘We explained the concerns around the two blind hills on either side of the entrance to the site given it’s a 100kmh speed limit and a major truck route. The road is narrow and the entire section from the Valley Central precinct to Frankford is in poor condition.

‘There are no lines indicating the edge of the road and it’s near impossible to pass a car safely let alone a truck.

‘Oncoming trucks sometimes drive over the centre white lines making it necessary to drive almost in the gravel edges to avoid a collision. School buses use this road also.’